Manufacture of peroxid of potassium.



UNITED sTA'IQES grENT OFFICE.

GEORGE FRANQOIS JAUBERT, OF PARIS, FRANCE.

MANUFACTURE PEROXID OF POTASSIUM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July '7', 1908.

Original application filed May 16, 1907, Serial No. 373,995. Divided and this application filed January 30, 1908.

. Serial No. 413,351.

liquid alloy of potassium and sodium, par-- ticularly from alloys Very rich in potassium,

such as those having the formula NaK and N'aK-,,.

The process consists in first transforming potassium alone into oxid of potassium by the action of air at an ordinary temperature, and after separating the oxid of potassium, transforming it into peroxid by a slow current of air at a temperature not exceeding 300 or 350 C.

In this process the oxid of potassiumis obtained by a careful oxidation of a liquid alloy of potassium and sodium, which oxidizes in a cold state.

'lhc reaction may be effected, for example, in an iron tube, such as described and illustrated in my U. S. application Ser. No. 373,995, filed May 16,1007. The said tube is provided with mica windows, and may be heated externally in any suitable manner. The alloy of potassium and sodium is placed in a vessel located inside the tube, and a current of dry and decarbonated air is led slowly through the tube at an ordinary temperature. Under these conditions, the sodium does not take any part in the reaction. The oxid of potassium formed gathers on the surface in the form of a thick layer of a. black or indigo blue color.

, into peroxid This layer may be col leeted by skimming or scraping the surface of the liquid.

the oxid of potassium, is then transformed being heated, first to a temperature of 150 to 200 (7., then to 300 or 350 C., when the ab-' sorption of air decreases, as in the U; S. application Ser. No. 373,995.

I claim:

1. The/method of manufacturing peroxid of potassium which consists in oxidizing a liquid alloy of potassium and sodium at ordinary temperature, collecting the OXl(l of potassium which forms on the surface of the alloy, and heating mmlerately the said oxid in the presence of a limited quantity of air,

thereby effecting the absorption of a considerable part of the oxygen of the air without ignition; substantially as described.

2. The method of manufacturing peroxicl of potassium, which consists in oxidizing a liquid alloy of potassium and sodium at ordinary temperature, collecting the oxid of potassium which forms on the surface of the alloy, and placing said oxid in an inclosing chamber, heating the chamber externally to about 150 to 200 0., and passing through said chamber a slow current of dry and dcc-arbonatcd air, thereby effecting the absorption of a considerable part of the oxygen of the air, and increasing the temperature to about 300 to 350 C. as the absorption. of the air decreases; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto placed my hand this thirteenth day of January, 1908.

GEORGE FRANCOIS JAUBl'llt'l.

In the presence of two witnesses:

IIANSON C. Coxn, ALARoK. DORNHJELM.

The intermediate product,'

y a slow current of air, the tube. 

